Reproductive Diseases of Domestic Animals Online Diagnostic Tool Help
Definitions:
Disease is an aberrant process affecting an organism or any of its parts and is generally associated with a negative influence on the organism. Reproductive diseases are those that have a primary or significant negative impact on fertility. Venereal diseases are a special class of reproductive disorders. They are infectious diseases that are primarily transmitted through coitus.
Infertility is the inability to produce offspring. Subfertility is a condition of less than normal or desired fertility, that is, a relative infertility. In common veterinary parlance however, the terms are used interchangeably to describe less than optimal functioning of a reproductive system and we will make no distinction between them here. Sterility is a term generally reserved for cases of profound, permanent infertility in individual animals.
It is important to keep in mind that while producing a single offspring defines a male or female animal as fertile, this level of performance is seldom satisfactory for livestock systems. We require that our animals reproduce rapidly and efficiently, that is, they must be fecund. Fecundity defines a system that is functioning well from a reproductive point of view and infertility /subfertility (I/S) describes a system in need of improvement.
In many breeding systems involving domestic animals, human-imposed constraints often create the potential for less than optimal fertility. These managerial issues are more appropriately considered limitations on the fecundity of the system rather than reproductive diseases and are the subject of the production medicine discipline.
Diagnosis
The etiology and pathophysiology of I/S are often complex. As a necessity then, management of fertility problems is a highly reductive process. Initial problem identification and refinement must account for all three elements of the fertility equation:
- the male animal
- the female animal
- the human/management element
as well as the fundamental nature of the problem – usually expressed as:
- Failure to copulate (mate)
- Failure to conceive (fertilization failure following copulation)
- Failure to maintain pregnancy (abortion or stillbirth following fertilization)
Initial diagnostics involve assessment of the signalment and history, including careful analysis of reproductive records. In addition to the general physical examination, a specific breeding soundness examination (BSE) is conducted. The basic aspects of the BSE vary with the species and sex of the patient.
Many approaches are used to further develop a diagnosis, but expert systems tend to focus on:
- pathophysiology of the disease ( the DAMNIT system, for example)
- timing of the problem within the reproductive lifecycle
- anatomic localization.
Additional diagnostic testing is often necessary to make a specific etiological diagnosis. Familiarity with local diseases prevalence and access to a diagnostic laboratory are essential components of a diagnostic plan.
Treatment and Prognosis
Given the complexity of reproductive disease, formulation of a treatment plan and provision of an accurate prognosis requires advanced clinical skills, a large knowledge base, and access to the medical literature.
Disclaimer
The purpose of this tool is to provide students and the new veterinary practitioner with an extensive list of reproductive diseases that can be searched by signalment, major clinical signs, and affected tissues (localization). While broad, the list is not all-inclusive and focuses on specific diseases with defined etiology. It should also be mentioned, that while relevant to reproduction, disorders of the mammary glands are not included in this list. In addition, the user should be aware that all tissues can be affected by more general disease conditions; for example, hypoplasia, neoplasia, inflammation, abscessation, adhesions, and agenesis – to name a few. These are not specific to the reproductive system and are not exhaustively covered by this tool.
The emphasis here is on diseases that occur in common mammalian veterinary species in the United States and Canada as well as exotic infectious diseases with major consequences for pregnant animals. For specific information on diagnostic tests, treatment, and prognosis, the user is referred to relevant textbooks or continuing education programs and materials, as well as the current literature.
A final note about this tool. While pregnancy is not a disease, It is included in this tool since I believe that a normal pregnancy should always be on the differential list for every post-pubertal female animal examined by a veterinarian.
Comments, concerns, and suggestions for improving the function of this educational tool can be sent to: Tom Bennett
Searchable Terms
The default for each search category is “any” which allows the user to search all elements of that category.
Signalment
Species
Any (includes all species in the search)
Bovine
Camelid
Canine
Caprine
Equine
Feline
Ovine
Porcine
Sex
Any (includes both sexes in the search)
Female
Male
Localization
Any (includes all anatomical locations in the search)
Abdomen
Ampulla
Broad Ligament
Cervix
Ejaculate
Ejaculatory Duct
Epididymis
Fetus
Gametes
Inguinal
Mammae/Mammary Gland
Neonate
Ovarian Bursa
Ovary
Oviduct
Pelvis
Penile Urethra
Penis
Perineum
Placenta
Prepuce
Prostate
Scrotum
Spermatic Cord
Systemic
Testis
Umbilical Cord
Uterus
Vagina
Vas deferens
Vesicular Gland
Vestibule
Vulva
Reproductive Signs
Any (includes all signs in the search)
Abortion
Agalactia
Anestrus
Anovulation
Aplasia
Aspermia
Asymmetry
Atrophy
Azoospermia
Behavioral
Colic
Conformation Defect
Congenital Defect
Copulation Failure
Death
Depression
Dystocia
Edema
EED
Enlargement
Erectile Dysfunction
Estrus
Fetal Death
Fever
Fluid
Genital Discharge
Hematuria
Hemorrhage
Hemospermia
Hypoplasia
Infertility
Inflammation
Irregular Cycle
Lactation
Maceration
Masculinization
Metritis
Mummification
Necrosis
None
Oligospermia
Pain
Paraphimosis
Penile Deviation
Phimosis
Prolapse
Prolonged Gestation
Pustule
Pyospermia
Repeat Breeder
Sterility
Stillbirth
Straining
Stricture
Swelling
Systemic Disease
Teratospermia
Trauma
Ulcer
Vesicle
Weak Neonate
Definition of Signs
Most signs listed will be readily interpreted by anyone with a medical background. The brief definitions that follow are those used to translate the medical literature and clinical experience into a manageable framework for this tool.
Any – Include all signs in the search
Abortion – premature expulsion of the products of conception from the uterus
Agalactia – failure to lactate
Agenesis – absence of an organ
Anestrus – failure to cycle
Anorexia – does not eat
Aplasia – failure of a tissue or organ to develop
Aspermia – failure to ejaculate
Asymmetry – abnormal disparity in size of paired or symmetric organs or tissues
Atrophy – pathological decrease in size of an organ or tissue
Azoospermia – absence of sperm motility
Behavioral – aberrant behavior
Colic – abdominal pain
Conformation defect – acquired abnormality of conformation, often related to age or trauma
Congenital defect – gross abnormality acquired in utero
Death – loss of viability > 2 days-of-age
Depression – state of abnormal mental dullness and/or physical inactivity
Dystocia – difficult birth
Edema – accumulation of fluid within a tissue
Enlargement – increase in size
Erectile dysfunction – failure to achieve a normal, functional erection
Estrus – sexual receptivity in female animals
Fetal Death – prepartum loss of viability
Fever – elevated body temperature
Fluid – presence of free fluid in an organ or cavity
Genital discharge – abnormal liquid or mucoid discharge from a genital orifice
Hemorrhage – bleeding
Hemospermia – blood in the ejaculate
Infertility – failure to produce live young
Inflammation – localized protective response to tissue injury
Irregular cycle – any deviation from normal cyclicity, for example, polyestrus, prolonged diestrus, and prolonged estrus
Lactation – production of milk by mammary glands
Maceration – in utero degeneration of the fetus and its membranes following fetal death
Masculinization – abnormal acquisition of male secondary sex characteristics
Metritis – severe inflammation of the entire uterus
Mummification – in utero dehydration of the fetus and its membranes following fetal death absent maceration
Necrosis – tissue death
None – no clinical manifestations or signs
Oligospermia – abnormally low number of sperm in the ejaculate
Pain – physical manifestation of irritating stimuli, often of traumatic or inflammatory origin
Paraphimosis – inability to retract the non-erect penis
Phimosis – inability to extend the penis
Prolapse – the falling or slipping out of place of an organ or tissue
Prolonged gestation – significant (abnormal) increase in the length of gestation
Pustule – discrete, visible collection of pus below or within the epidermis
Pyospermia – white blood cells in the ejaculate
Repeat breeder – an animal that is bred three or more times at regular intervals of the cycle
Sterility – permanent infertility
Stillbirth – failure of the neonate to survive more than 48 hours after parturition
Straining – abnormal abdominal press in response to a painful or irritating stimulus
Stricture – an abnormal narrowing
Swelling – enlargement due to fluid accumulation
Systemic illness – typically involves fever, anorexia and depression
Teratospermia – abnormal sperm morphology
Trauma – physical injury
Ulcer – erosion or excavation of the surface of an organ or tissue usually subsequent to inflammation and necrosis
Vesicle – discrete, visible collection of serous fluid below or within the epidermis
Weak neonate – abnormal depression of a newborn animal
Definition of Status
The status number is a crude expression of disease prevalence. No effort has been made to research the actual prevalence of any of the listed diseases. Instead, the number is interpreted as follows:
Diseases labeled with a “1” are common enough that a veterinarian can expect to encounter them if they practice in the appropriate clinical or geographical arena. These are the “horses” you should be considering when you hear “hoofbeats.”
Diseases labeled “2” are less common and represent the “zebras” of clinical practice.
Disease labeled “3” are exotic to temperate North America.
The “R” following the status number indicates that the disease is considered reportable in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. All licensed veterinarians should be familiar with their local disease reporting requirements. For example, the Wisconsin statute also requires the reporting of diseases that are “foreign or exotic” to the state.
Updated 1/9/2020